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Iyad Khairi Hallak 32, may 30 2020 |
31 may 2020
The mother of the Palestinian who was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers in occupied Jerusalem, said that the Israeli allegations and justifications for his brutal murder are mere lies, as the slain man was autistic, and was a child in a man’s body.
The Palestinian, Eyad al-Hallaq, 32, was killed when the soldiers shot him with eight live rounds at the stairs of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied Jerusalem, while he was walking to the al-Bakriyyah School for persons with special needs.
Eyewitnesses said Eyad was just walking when the soldiers started shouting at him, and he got scared by their loud voices and tried to run away.
They added that the soldiers could have easily arrested him, without resorting to the lethal and excessive use of live fire.
The mother was walking aimlessly around her home in Wadi al-Jouz in Jerusalem, looking lost, and unable to grasp the news about the death of her only son.
Minutes after the news about his death started spreading, she was informed that he was alive and was only shot in his leg near Bas al-Asbat in Jerusalem, but shortly afterwards it became clear that he was killed by the soldiers.
The Palestinian, Eyad al-Hallaq, 32, was killed when the soldiers shot him with eight live rounds at the stairs of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied Jerusalem, while he was walking to the al-Bakriyyah School for persons with special needs.
Eyewitnesses said Eyad was just walking when the soldiers started shouting at him, and he got scared by their loud voices and tried to run away.
They added that the soldiers could have easily arrested him, without resorting to the lethal and excessive use of live fire.
The mother was walking aimlessly around her home in Wadi al-Jouz in Jerusalem, looking lost, and unable to grasp the news about the death of her only son.
Minutes after the news about his death started spreading, she was informed that he was alive and was only shot in his leg near Bas al-Asbat in Jerusalem, but shortly afterwards it became clear that he was killed by the soldiers.
His father, Khairi al-Hallaq, shocked and in disbelief, was sitting in his home, surrounded by several young men who knew the slain Palestinian and rushed to his home, could not utter many words, except prayers and mumblings that only echoed “he was killed in cold blood, he was murdered…”
His slain autistic son, he said, may have looked like a grown man, but his brain was that of a child, who didn’t interact with anybody, and who only left home to go to the special needs school.
“Why would they kill him in cold blood like this,” he said, “They claim that they thought he carried a weapon! Why didn’t they search him, why did they have to kill him without even making sure he was carrying the claimed weapon”.
He added that his slain son started going to the special needs school around six years ago, and that he goes there every day from the morning until evening, and when he returns home, he just sits alone in his room.
His weeping mother, distraught and unable to catch a normal breath, said, “Why didn’t they just capture him… why not search him… why did they have to rush to fatal shots, to killing him in a cold-blooded manner like this.”
“He was murdered in cold-blood, he carried nothing but his mobile phone and his wallet”, she added, “He carried no weapons, he wanted to go to school because he felt bored at home, but at school he could be more active, and interact with others….”.
“Right now, after they killed him like this, my only wish is that we can have the burial ceremonies at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, before he is buried in the soil of Jerusalem,” she added, “He was an innocent person, he hated nobody, and what they did to him is a crime not only against him, but also against every person with special needs.
They killed my only son, who was a child in a man’s body. They killed my only son, they killed my only son…”
Attorney Eyad al-Qadamani, who is representing the family, said that the Israeli police is investigating the fatal shooting, and so far, the police is not admitting he was killed by mistake, and are unwilling to transfer his corpse back to his family for burial.
The lawyer added that the Israeli police imposed a gag order, forbidding the release of the names of the officers involved in his death, or even any information about the units they belong to.
The imposed gag order will remain in effect until June 3rd and could possibly be extended for a longer period.
Israeli media outlets said the slain young man did not carry any weapon, and that he was shot just because “he failed to stop when was ordered to.”
The police claimed that they noticed he carried a “suspicious object”, and that they though it was a gun, and added that he was ordered to stop, but he started running and a chase ensued.
Israeli daily Haaretz said the Palestinian was unarmed, and that the officer who shot him said “he suspected al-Hallaq was a terrorist because he was wearing gloves.”
Haaretz quoted a statement by the Israeli police claiming that “two officers noticed the Palestinian carrying a suspicious object that they thought was a gun and ordered him to stop. After the man refused and started fleeing the scene, the officers started chasing him on foot and opened fire, ultimately killing him while he was trying to hide behind a dumpster.”
It added that the police then closed on the Old City, and that the Police Internal Investigations Department will be investigating the incident.
Haaretz also said that the two officers who were involved in chasing him and then the fatal shots, were questioned by the police, before one of them was released “under restrictive conditions”, and the second officer was placed under “house arrest.”
The Israeli media agency also quoted source which was described to be “familiar with the investigation”, the junior officer, who was a recruit armed with M16 automatic rifle, is being suspected of “continuing to shoot despite being ordered by his commander to stop.”
Haaretz added that the officer “continued to shoot because he saw al-Hallaq was still moving”, and that a court in Jerusalem issued a gag order preventing the release of the names of the officers involved in the fatal incident.
His slain autistic son, he said, may have looked like a grown man, but his brain was that of a child, who didn’t interact with anybody, and who only left home to go to the special needs school.
“Why would they kill him in cold blood like this,” he said, “They claim that they thought he carried a weapon! Why didn’t they search him, why did they have to kill him without even making sure he was carrying the claimed weapon”.
He added that his slain son started going to the special needs school around six years ago, and that he goes there every day from the morning until evening, and when he returns home, he just sits alone in his room.
His weeping mother, distraught and unable to catch a normal breath, said, “Why didn’t they just capture him… why not search him… why did they have to rush to fatal shots, to killing him in a cold-blooded manner like this.”
“He was murdered in cold-blood, he carried nothing but his mobile phone and his wallet”, she added, “He carried no weapons, he wanted to go to school because he felt bored at home, but at school he could be more active, and interact with others….”.
“Right now, after they killed him like this, my only wish is that we can have the burial ceremonies at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, before he is buried in the soil of Jerusalem,” she added, “He was an innocent person, he hated nobody, and what they did to him is a crime not only against him, but also against every person with special needs.
They killed my only son, who was a child in a man’s body. They killed my only son, they killed my only son…”
Attorney Eyad al-Qadamani, who is representing the family, said that the Israeli police is investigating the fatal shooting, and so far, the police is not admitting he was killed by mistake, and are unwilling to transfer his corpse back to his family for burial.
The lawyer added that the Israeli police imposed a gag order, forbidding the release of the names of the officers involved in his death, or even any information about the units they belong to.
The imposed gag order will remain in effect until June 3rd and could possibly be extended for a longer period.
Israeli media outlets said the slain young man did not carry any weapon, and that he was shot just because “he failed to stop when was ordered to.”
The police claimed that they noticed he carried a “suspicious object”, and that they though it was a gun, and added that he was ordered to stop, but he started running and a chase ensued.
Israeli daily Haaretz said the Palestinian was unarmed, and that the officer who shot him said “he suspected al-Hallaq was a terrorist because he was wearing gloves.”
Haaretz quoted a statement by the Israeli police claiming that “two officers noticed the Palestinian carrying a suspicious object that they thought was a gun and ordered him to stop. After the man refused and started fleeing the scene, the officers started chasing him on foot and opened fire, ultimately killing him while he was trying to hide behind a dumpster.”
It added that the police then closed on the Old City, and that the Police Internal Investigations Department will be investigating the incident.
Haaretz also said that the two officers who were involved in chasing him and then the fatal shots, were questioned by the police, before one of them was released “under restrictive conditions”, and the second officer was placed under “house arrest.”
The Israeli media agency also quoted source which was described to be “familiar with the investigation”, the junior officer, who was a recruit armed with M16 automatic rifle, is being suspected of “continuing to shoot despite being ordered by his commander to stop.”
Haaretz added that the officer “continued to shoot because he saw al-Hallaq was still moving”, and that a court in Jerusalem issued a gag order preventing the release of the names of the officers involved in the fatal incident.
The defense minister says the incident, in which 32-year-old Iyad Halak had been shot by police in Jerusalem's Old City, will be investigated 'swiftly' and 'conclusions will be reached'
Defense Minister Benny Gantz apologized on Sunday for the Israeli police's deadly shooting of an unarmed, autistic Palestinian man.
The shooting of Iyad Halak, 32, in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, drew broad condemnations and revived complaints alleging excessive force by Israeli security forces.
Gantz, who is also Israel's "alternate" prime minister under a power-sharing deal, made the remarks at the weekly meeting of the cabinet. He was sat near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who made no mention of the incident in his opening remarks.
"We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the family's grief," Gantz said. "I am sure this subject will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be reached."
Halak's relatives said he had autism and was heading to a school for students with special needs where he studied each day when he was shot.
In a statement, Israeli police said they spotted a suspect "with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol." When he failed to obey orders to stop, officers opened fire, the statement said. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld later said no weapon was found.
Israeli media reported the officers involved were questioned after the incident as per protocol and a lawyer representing one of them sent his condolences to the family in an interview with Army Radio.
Lone Palestinian attackers with no clear links to armed groups have carried out a series of stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks in recent years.
Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups have long accused Israeli security forces of using excessive force in some cases, either by killing individuals who could have been arrested or using lethal force when their lives were not in danger.
Some pro-Palestinian activists compared Saturday's shooting to the recent cases of police violence in the U.S.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz apologized on Sunday for the Israeli police's deadly shooting of an unarmed, autistic Palestinian man.
The shooting of Iyad Halak, 32, in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, drew broad condemnations and revived complaints alleging excessive force by Israeli security forces.
Gantz, who is also Israel's "alternate" prime minister under a power-sharing deal, made the remarks at the weekly meeting of the cabinet. He was sat near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who made no mention of the incident in his opening remarks.
"We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the family's grief," Gantz said. "I am sure this subject will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be reached."
Halak's relatives said he had autism and was heading to a school for students with special needs where he studied each day when he was shot.
In a statement, Israeli police said they spotted a suspect "with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol." When he failed to obey orders to stop, officers opened fire, the statement said. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld later said no weapon was found.
Israeli media reported the officers involved were questioned after the incident as per protocol and a lawyer representing one of them sent his condolences to the family in an interview with Army Radio.
Lone Palestinian attackers with no clear links to armed groups have carried out a series of stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks in recent years.
Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups have long accused Israeli security forces of using excessive force in some cases, either by killing individuals who could have been arrested or using lethal force when their lives were not in danger.
Some pro-Palestinian activists compared Saturday's shooting to the recent cases of police violence in the U.S.
Israeli authorities on Sunday released two police officers from jail one day after they killed a Palestinian young man with special needs in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Eyad al-Hallaq, a 32-year-old Palestinian with special needs, was shot to death by Israeli police officers near al-Asbat Gate in Jerusalem.
The police officers claimed al-Hallaq appeared to be carrying a gun but it turned out he was unarmed and did not understand the officers’ orders to stop.
According to eyewitnesses, al-Hallaq was shot at least six times.
The Palestinian Authority and many human rights organizations have condemned al-Hallaq’s murder and called for international probes into Israeli crimes against the Palestinians, especially extrajudicial killings.
Eyad al-Hallaq, a 32-year-old Palestinian with special needs, was shot to death by Israeli police officers near al-Asbat Gate in Jerusalem.
The police officers claimed al-Hallaq appeared to be carrying a gun but it turned out he was unarmed and did not understand the officers’ orders to stop.
According to eyewitnesses, al-Hallaq was shot at least six times.
The Palestinian Authority and many human rights organizations have condemned al-Hallaq’s murder and called for international probes into Israeli crimes against the Palestinians, especially extrajudicial killings.
30 may 2020
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Every morning, Iyad Khairi Hallak, 32, a person with special needs, goes to his institution, which specializes in special education for people with disabilities, near the Lions Gate in occupied Jerusalem.
But on this morning, he did not know that it was the last time he goes there. Before he reached the school, Hallak, who suffers from a partial movement disability and is mentally slow, was asked by Israeli police officers to stop for bodily search, but he was afraid and did not comply with their orders. Thus, the officers opened gunfire at him and left him bleeding until he died. The police claimed the young man had a pistol on his possession, which was later dismissed by the police. Ziyad Hammouri, director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic |
Rights, suggested that the Israeli occupation forces in Jerusalem are easy on the trigger when it comes to opening fire at Palestinians, even on the mere suspicion and when no real danger is there.
“The photo of the American black youth who was killed by US police in cold blood and which went viral worldwide, is being practiced in Jerusalem every day,” he noted. video
He pointed out that the Israeli forces kill Palestinian civilians in cold blood under false pretexts. “On some occasions, when Israeli police execute a Palestinian, they open a mock investigation, which often ends with no results and with no one brought to trial.”
Shawan Jabarin, director of the Al-Haq human rights group, told WAFA that the recent four shootings by Israeli forces that took place during the past two days in Ramallah and Jerusalem are evidence that murder of Palestinian civilians was a tolerated practice by the occupation forces.
He said the Israeli policy of tolerating the killing of Palestinians was a result of the fact that the Israeli army or police officers know very well they will not be prosecuted or held accountable.
“The accusations and allegations by the occupation are ready. Data shows that most of those who were killed could have been arrested, but the occupation insisted on killing them,” he remarked.
Jabarin stressed that the Israeli occupation’s policy is based on zero accountability and full impunity, and that the killing of the Palestinian is a daily, ordinary and tolerated practice, which reflects the spirit of discrimination and racism inherent in the Israeli occupation’s regime.
“We are talking today about killing a man with special needs, and it is easy to know that the victim has some kind of mental issue, but they [the Israeli police] are shooting because they made sure he is Palestinian. If this person was an Israeli, he would not be treated like this or shot.”
“The photo of the American black youth who was killed by US police in cold blood and which went viral worldwide, is being practiced in Jerusalem every day,” he noted. video
He pointed out that the Israeli forces kill Palestinian civilians in cold blood under false pretexts. “On some occasions, when Israeli police execute a Palestinian, they open a mock investigation, which often ends with no results and with no one brought to trial.”
Shawan Jabarin, director of the Al-Haq human rights group, told WAFA that the recent four shootings by Israeli forces that took place during the past two days in Ramallah and Jerusalem are evidence that murder of Palestinian civilians was a tolerated practice by the occupation forces.
He said the Israeli policy of tolerating the killing of Palestinians was a result of the fact that the Israeli army or police officers know very well they will not be prosecuted or held accountable.
“The accusations and allegations by the occupation are ready. Data shows that most of those who were killed could have been arrested, but the occupation insisted on killing them,” he remarked.
Jabarin stressed that the Israeli occupation’s policy is based on zero accountability and full impunity, and that the killing of the Palestinian is a daily, ordinary and tolerated practice, which reflects the spirit of discrimination and racism inherent in the Israeli occupation’s regime.
“We are talking today about killing a man with special needs, and it is easy to know that the victim has some kind of mental issue, but they [the Israeli police] are shooting because they made sure he is Palestinian. If this person was an Israeli, he would not be treated like this or shot.”
With the Israeli police killing this morning a disabled Palestinian man in occupied East Jerusalem, a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) official called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to fulfill its mandate regarding Israeli war crimes in Palestine.
Israeli police shot dead this morning Iyad Khairi Hallak, 32, a Palestinian resident of occupied East Jerusalem with disabilities alleging they suspected he had a gun. However, police later said the man was unarmed.
Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the PLO’s Executive Committee, said in tweet that the killing of Hallak is “a new crime that will be met with impunity unless the world stops treating Israel as a state above the law and the International Criminal Court fulfills its mandate.”
The ICC Prosecutor said in December that she has decided to start an investigation into the situation of Palestine after concluding that Israel could have committee war crimes against the Palestinians under its occupation.
Hallak was the second Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied territories in less than 24 hours.
Soldiers killed the night before a 37-year-old father of five near Ramallah claiming he attempted to hit them with his car, an allegation strongly denied by the man’s family who said he was on his way to pick up his family.
Israeli police shot dead this morning Iyad Khairi Hallak, 32, a Palestinian resident of occupied East Jerusalem with disabilities alleging they suspected he had a gun. However, police later said the man was unarmed.
Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the PLO’s Executive Committee, said in tweet that the killing of Hallak is “a new crime that will be met with impunity unless the world stops treating Israel as a state above the law and the International Criminal Court fulfills its mandate.”
The ICC Prosecutor said in December that she has decided to start an investigation into the situation of Palestine after concluding that Israel could have committee war crimes against the Palestinians under its occupation.
Hallak was the second Palestinian shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied territories in less than 24 hours.
Soldiers killed the night before a 37-year-old father of five near Ramallah claiming he attempted to hit them with his car, an allegation strongly denied by the man’s family who said he was on his way to pick up his family.
Iyad Khairi Hallak, 32
A Palestinian man who was shot and killed this morning by Israeli police in Jerusalem’s Old City was unarmed and said to be of special needs, according to identical Palestinian and Israeli reports.
They said Israeli police opened fire at a Palestinian after they suspected he had a gun and killed him. video
Later Israeli reports confirmed that the man was unarmed but claimed that he was shot after he refused orders to stop. They said police has opened an investigation into the incident.
Palestinians identified the man as Iyad Khairi Hallak, 32, from Wad el-Joz neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem and that he was attending an institution for people with special needs in the same area where he was shot and killed.
They said he was shot by several bullets and that he was left on the ground bleeding for a while until he died.
Police closed all gates leading into Jerusalem's old city following the incident and banned entry or exit from it.
They also raided the Hallak home in Wad el-Joz, said the Palestinians. video
A Palestinian man who was shot and killed this morning by Israeli police in Jerusalem’s Old City was unarmed and said to be of special needs, according to identical Palestinian and Israeli reports.
They said Israeli police opened fire at a Palestinian after they suspected he had a gun and killed him. video
Later Israeli reports confirmed that the man was unarmed but claimed that he was shot after he refused orders to stop. They said police has opened an investigation into the incident.
Palestinians identified the man as Iyad Khairi Hallak, 32, from Wad el-Joz neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem and that he was attending an institution for people with special needs in the same area where he was shot and killed.
They said he was shot by several bullets and that he was left on the ground bleeding for a while until he died.
Police closed all gates leading into Jerusalem's old city following the incident and banned entry or exit from it.
They also raided the Hallak home in Wad el-Joz, said the Palestinians. video
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